


Rosy Pelican

by mycitruspocket



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Advent Calendar Drabble, Developing Relationship, M/M, Prompt Fic, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 03:37:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12903132
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mycitruspocket/pseuds/mycitruspocket
Summary: “Why a pelican?”Arthur loves Eames’ tattoos because he loves Eames, and they’re a part of him. But that doesn’t mean he likes them all. The pink pelican on his right biceps, which has been there since they first met, is the ugliest by far, and he’s been dying to know why he got it ever since. He can see half of it now, from where it peeks out from under Eames’ shirt sleeve, so he can’t help but finally ask.





	Rosy Pelican

**Author's Note:**

> Advent ficlets written by kate_the_eader, MissBrightsideSH and me!
> 
> Prompts by our darling hooptedoodley.
> 
> Maybe daily, maybe not, we’ll write as much as we can without stress. :)

“Why a pelican?” 

Arthur loves Eames’ tattoos because he loves Eames, and they’re a part of him. But that doesn’t mean he  _ likes _ them all. The pink pelican on his right biceps, which has been there since they first met, is the ugliest by far, and he’s been dying to know  _ why _ he got it ever since. He can see half of it now, from where it peeks out from under Eames’ shirt sleeve, so he can’t help but finally ask.

Eames wrinkles his forehead, shoves his sleeve up until it reveals the whole abomination as if he has to check what exactly Arthur means. He looks at it, humming, as if he has trouble recalling its origin. 

Chuckling quietly to himself, Arthur leans back in his office chair and sips at his coffee, waiting.

“You once told me that they all have a meaning.”

“That was to impress you,” Eames admits and grins winningly because he knows they are past this stage now. 

“So you got this because you like waterbirds? To match the flamingo on your hip? Come on, I know you know the story of each one. Tell me.”

“But this one is stupid,” Eames pouts and spins in his chair.

Arthur raises his eyebrow because they are past this stage as well, and it does the trick, as always.

“Ok, ok. I was trailing a mark in Delhi who worked at a cafe, and because I was young and stupid, I thought the tattoo shop across the street was a good place to keep an eye on her.”

Eames doesn’t continue, he stares at his shoes where he draws circles on the floor while he spins around.

“Oh, my god, it was your first one?”

“You know me too well,” Eames says as his cheeks turn pink and he touches the back of his neck in embarrassment. “The artist asked me what I wanted and the first thing I could think of was a bloody pelican because there was this Indian beer called Rosy Pelican with, well, a rosy pelican on the label. It was a shitty beer, but what can I say, the label made an impression on drunk-me.”

“And you still made an impression on me even though I thought it was the ugliest sailor tattoo I’d ever seen. I like it better now that I know the story,” Arthur says, walking over and kissing his cheek - which is just as rosy as the pelican - on his way to refill his coffee.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts: Pelican; Ink


End file.
